Tasha Smith Says Hollywood Needs To Invest More In Black Projects

Tasha Smith detailed why she feels there’s “less opportunity” for African American actresses during an interview with HuffPost Live today. The Why Did I Get Married actress told host Marc Lamont Hill that Hollywood needs to invest more in black film projects.

“I don’t understand why more people are not investing in more projects that have sisters like me in it. I don’t get it,” she said. “I feel like there [is] less opportunity, I hate to say that, but I really do.”

“It’s like we have all these amazing, brilliant, talented women,” she continued. “I could name them off. From Viola Davis, to Angela Bassett to Taraji P. Henson to Sanaa Lathan to Gabrielle Union to me! I can go on an on… it’s so important for us to support our African American filmmakers, like Lee Daniels, like Tyler Perry, like Steve McQueen, like Tim Story, Salim Akil, Ava DuVernay, we need to support them, John Singleton [and] Spike Lee [too] because they are telling our stories and we need more of our stories told.”

She went on to say she doesn’t know what the problem is because the African-Americna community “ain’t got no problem spending money.”

“I don’t get it because black people spend money,” she explained. “It doesn’t matter if we’re on welfare or if we’re on [an] itemized salary. It’s like, we will still spend money. So I don’t understand why more people are not investing in more projects that have sisters like me in it. I don’t get it!”